Story Cubes (or story prompts) are a wonderful way to encourage creativity, build language skills, and develop storytelling confidence.
Whether you’re using special story dice, homemade picture cards, or simply words written on scraps of paper, the goal is the same — to inspire your child to invent and tell their own story, one prompt at a time.
This activity works beautifully as a quiet afternoon game, a screen-free bedtime routine, or a creative way to build confidence in speaking and storytelling. It’s also a lovely shared activity for parents and carers to take part in too.
Materials Needed
- Story cubes or dice (shop-bought or homemade)
- Alternatively: small cards or paper slips with words or pictures
- Optional: notebook for writing stories down
Tools Needed
- None
Steps
- Prepare the Prompts
Use story cubes or make your own (see below) using drawings or written words (e.g. dragon, mountain, storm, treasure). - Roll or Draw
Roll the cubes or pick several cards to create a set of random prompts. - Start the Story
Use the first prompt as the opening idea for your story. Build the story step-by-step using each new prompt. - Keep Building
Take turns adding to the story or let your child take the lead. There’s no right or wrong! - Finish and Share
Once the story is complete, read it aloud, act it out, or write it down if your child enjoys writing.
Variations
- Make Your Own Cubes: Use blank dice or print templates to draw your own pictures.
- Group Storytelling: In a group, each person adds one sentence or idea to continue the story.
- Timed Stories: Set a timer and see how many stories you can create in 10 minutes.
- Illustrate the Story: After telling the story, draw a picture together to bring it to life.
Story Cube Prompt Ideas
Here are some ideas you can use to create your own story cubes or prompt cards. Feel free to mix and match depending on your child’s age and interests:
Characters
- Dragon
- Wizard
- Superhero
- Princess or Prince
- Alien
- Detective
- Talking animal
- Giant
- Robot
- Monster
Objects
- Treasure chest
- Magic wand
- Lost key
- Spaceship
- Map
- Secret door
- Time machine
- Golden coin
- Invisibility cloak
- Strange potion
Settings
- Castle
- Jungle
- Haunted house
- Desert island
- Underwater city
- Outer space
- Mountain cave
- Ancient temple
- Fairy garden
- Secret laboratory
Events or Problems
- A storm begins
- Something gets lost
- Someone is trapped
- Time runs out
- They find a clue
- A riddle must be solved
- A race starts
- A mysterious letter arrives
- The power goes out
- A new friend appears
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